Starting device



Jan. 27, 1942. s. YSSKIN STARTING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1940 INVENTORATTOR Y5 Patented Jan. 27, 1 942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STARTINGDEVICE Samuel Ysskin, Newark, N. J. g

' Application July 26, 1940, Serial No. 347,577

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved starter for internal combustionengines. The starter is of the type that utilizes a cam action foradvancing the pinion of the starter to the gear of the engine andcombines the cam action with a cushion for smoothing out the contacts ofthe pinion and gear and further combines the cushion and cam action toco-operate in releasing the cam action if the engine kicks back or forsome other. reason the pinion or gear become locked against movement.

The invention is a starter that is very compact, easily assembled, andhas few parts which insures its operation. In addition, the device canbe cheaply made due to the easy machining of the various parts.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawingFigure 1 is a side view of a starter of the improved form, with theparts in normal or inactive. positions.-' Figure 2 is a side view withthe parts in position to start the engine, some parts being shown incentral vertical section. Figure 3 is an end view of the starter shownin Figure 1. Figure 4 is a detail side view of cams which propel theengine engaging member. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cam thatis secured to the shaft and fixed against longitudinal movement.

The starter is installed in the usual position adjacent a gear ID on theengine and is secured on shaft II which is rotated by an electric motor.n the shaft is a sleeve l2 which rotates with the shaft. On the end ofthe shaft is a cam member I3 which is in the form of a shell, one faceof which is provided with two semi-circular cam surfaces l4 and has thestop faces l that limit the return movement of the engine engagingmember. The sleeve l2 and cam member l3 are held in place by a bolt orscrew l6 which is screwed into the cam member and extends through a holein the sleeve and into a recess in the shaft Ill.

The sleeve has a cushion l1 secured to it, the cushion usuallyconsisting of an annular block of rubber resting against a washer l8held on the sleeve by the split ring IS. The other face of the rubbercushion is engaged by a flange 2l that; is part of a barrel whichembraces the cushion I! but can clear and pass over the outside of thewasher ill to allow the cushion to be compressed. The washer I8 is heldin place by the ring I! but the flange. 2| can be pressed against thecushion by a slidable member to be hereinafter described.

' the end wall of the casing 23. The pinion 24 fits over the extension21 of the casing 23.

The cam member 22 fits over the sleeve l2 loosely enough to slide alongthe sleeve and has two semi-circular cam surfaces 28, complemen-.

tary to the cam surfaces l4 of the cam I3, and has stops 29 for engagingthe stops l5. The .cam member includes a flange or spider 30 secured inthe casing 23 by the split ring 3i The spider includes lugs 32 which fitinto recesses 33 of the casing 23 to cause the flange and casing torotate together. The two lugs which are below the centre of the shaftare heavier than the one on top when the starter is at rest, thiscausing these parts to advance under initial'starting and delaying anyappreciable rotation of the pinion until the pinion engages the gear I0.

A spring 33 is interposed between the movable cam member 22 and thefixed cushion H. The

spring 33 is a light spring coiled around the sleeve This slidablemember comprises a cam member I 2 and acts to keep these parts normallyseparated. The spring 34 is not strong enough to hamper the operation ofthe device but is strong enough to keep the cam 22 from riding out ofplace which might otherwise happen due to the vibration in travel in thecase of an automobile or small boat.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The starter is in the position shown in Figure 1. The shaft II isenergized and the cam -l3 is thus rotated. This causes the cam surfaces[4 and 28 to co-operate. As the cam i3 is secured in place the rotationof the cam I3 operates on the cam 22 to force the slidable member whichcomprises the cam 22, the spider 3B, the casing 23 and the pinion 24longitudinally to the position shown in Figure 2. The start is suddenand the weights 32 below the center'keep the casing 23 from rotatingtoany appreciable extent. The action is cushioned by the engagement ofthe spider 30 with the barrel 20 and this in turn with the cushion l1and the casing and pinion 24 begin to turn and the gear In is rotated.The tension on the parts is thus gradually increased and the startingaction takes place without shock and without noise. point is shown at awhen the cushion is encountered and at b when the maximum normal strainis met, this position being shown in dotted outline. If, for any reason,the resistance to operation might cause damage and require repair, thecushion receives its maximum compression. The

The position of the cams at this parts are so proportioned that thecompression of the cushion permits the cam 22 to travel far enough toclear the cam l3. This position is shown by broken lines at c in Figure4 and the over-ride of the cam relieves the strain on the starter deviceand the electric motor.

After the engine starts the increased speed of the pinion 24 moves thecasing 23 and its connected parts back into normal position, the cam 22is moved back until the stops I5 and 28 engage and is held there by thelight spring 33.

The operation of the starter is silent and prompt the cushion l'l actingto first, soften the operating contact with the gear l0 and, second, toaid in transmitting the torsional strain after the cushion had undergonesome compression and, finally, to be compressed to an extent that allowsthe high points of the cams to ride over each other.

The device can be made cheaply and the assembly is easily and readilyaccomplished.

I claim:

1. An engine starter comprising a motor shaft, a cam secured on themotor shaft and having two cam surfaces each extending for half thecircumference, a companion cam fitting into the first cam and slidablerelative to the shaft, a casing secured to the second cam and includinga pinion on the end, a cushion inside the casing, means on the shaft forsecuring the cushion against sliding relative to the shaft and in thepath of the second cam, the throw of the cams and the compression of thecushion being proportioned to allow the cam to over-ride when thecushion is compressed beyond normal operation strain.

2. An engine starter comprising a motor shaft, a cam secured on themotor shaft and having two cam surfaces each extending for half thecircumference, a companion cam fitting into the first cam and slidablerelative to the shaft, a casing secured to the second cam and includinga pinion on the end, a cushion inside the casing, means on the shaft forsecuring the cushion against sliding relative to the shaft and in thepath of the second cam, and a spring of slight power interposed betweenthe cushion and the second cam.

3. An engine starter comprising member secured on theshaft and having-two semi-circular cams on one face of the member, an engine engagingmember comprising 'a casing, a pinion on one end of the casing, and anextension having two semi-circular cams engaga shaft, a cam ing the camsof the cam member, a cushion device secured against movement away fromthe cams, the cushion device being within the easing and having a flangeto be engaged by the casing, the parts being disposed to prevent thecams from over-riding under normal strain and ,engaging the cams of thecam member, a cushion device secured against movement away from thecams, the cushion device being within the casing and having a flange tobe engaged by the casing, the parts being disposed to prevent the camsfrom overriding under normal strain and thus under normal compression ofthe cushion, and permitting the cams to over-ride uncler'excess strainand extreme compression of the cushion, and a light spring between thecasing and the cushion for causing their separation when the starter isat rest.

5. An engine starter comprising a motor shaft, a slidable member on theshaft, the slidable member including a pinion and also including 'a camon one end, the cam extending for onehalf the circumference of a circle,a cushion disposed to be engaged by the slidable member and securedagainst movement longitudinally of the shaft, a cam on the shaftextending for a half-circle and complementary to the shaft on theslidable member, and a light coiled spring interposed between thecushion and an element of the slidable member.

6. An engine starter comprising a motor shaft, 8, slidable membersupported by the shaft, the slidable member including a pinion on oneend and a cam on the other end, a cushion disposed so as to be engagedby an element of the mov able member, means on the shaft for securingthe cushion against longitudinal movement relative to the shaft, and acam secured to the shaft and complementary to the cam on the slidablemember, the extreme compression of the cushion being greater than thethrow of the cams whereby excess resistance to the pinion will cause thecams to override.

SAMUEL YSSKIN.

